A mother-of-two from South Wales says she is 'sickened' after her £12 million lottery ticket was allegedly thrown away by a shopkeeper who failed to detect it as a winner. Kath Main, from Abercynon, has been playing the same numbers for 20 years and says her mother was told the ticket was not a winner when she checked it at a local Londis store.
Ticket Binned After No Winner Detected
Kath Main's mother had purchased the lottery ticket for the June 6 draw and checked it at the Londis in Abercynon. The shopkeeper reportedly told her the ticket was not a winner and threw it in the bin. However, when Kath saw news reports that the £12 million prize remained unclaimed, she checked the winning numbers and realised they matched her regular numbers: 08, 10, 26, 30, 35 and 42.
Kath told her mother the ticket was a winner, but her mother replied that the ticket was already in the bin. By the time they realised the mistake, the bin had been collected.
Investigation Launched by Allwyn
Lottery operator Allwyn has launched an investigation into the claim. Kath provided proof of purchase and doorbell footage showing her mother at the time the ticket was made. She says Allwyn told her that if the machine did not beep, it could be human error, and a faulty machine was 'highly unlikely.'
An Allwyn spokesperson said: 'As operator of the National Lottery, we take our duty of care to players very seriously. We are currently investigating a claim relating to a potentially winning ticket. The National Lottery is the only major lottery in the world that allows players to claim a prize if a winning ticket has been lost, stolen or destroyed. Our priority is making sure that every prize is correctly paid to the right person.'
Shop Owner Comments on Machine Issue
Karan Kumar, owner of the Londis, said: 'The machine could have been playing up. Now they are doing an investigation. It would be amazing if she won.' The shop currently has no CCTV because it is undergoing renovation.
Kath, a rugby club secretary, told The Sun: 'I just feel sick all the time, it's the not knowing and waiting.' She said she has been using the same numbers for two decades in hopes of hitting the jackpot.
The investigation could take up to 30 days before a decision is made on whether Kath will receive the prize.
